by Ron Ripley
Turning around, Molly saw Barry struggle into a sitting position. His eyes fluttered open, a dazed look of terror in them.
A surge of happiness welled up within her and Molly smiled.
Barry’s whine transformed into a shriek as he tried to stand, but the flames were all around him, and his flailing attempt to get out from behind the counter only resulted in him falling to the floor again.
Humming to herself, Molly exited the shop. She had a few minutes to get to the park, where she would have a good view of the fire engines as they arrived. In her hand, she hid the brass Zippo, enjoying the way the metal warmed to her touch.
It made her think of the fire burning in the store, the one feasting on Barry’s flesh.
Molly skipped up the driveway, smiling and enjoying the feel of the summer sun on her skin.
Bonus Scene Chapter 6: The Coup de Grace
It was the last weekend of summer. The last weekend before her days at Buckingham Home would become severely limited.
That meant, of course, that it was time for Molly to help with one last event. A great celebration for those who resided in the building.
“It’s getting ridiculous,” her father said as she sat down to breakfast.
“I agree,” her mother said, bringing a plate of bacon and eggs and toast to Molly.
“Thank you,” Molly said, bending her head and feigning prayer.
When she lifted her head, her father smiled at her and said, “I want you to be careful.”
Molly looked at him, confused.
“It seems there’s a firebug on the loose,” he said.
Her mother added, “An arsonist, dear. Someone who likes to set objects on fire.”
“Oh,” Molly said. “Is that why there have been so many fires, lately? Jack Rattin was talking about how someone set all of his trash barrels on fire the other night.”
“You see,” her father said, giving a knowing look to her mother. “I didn’t even hear about the Rattins’ cans. You know, we pay enough in taxes that this sort of thing should be nipped in the bud. I mean come on, Christina, this is absurd.”
“I know, Harold,” Molly’s mother said. “I know. It’s hard. One of the reasons we moved out to this development was because of the policing.”
“And now we have these little fires popping up,” her father continued, gesturing with his fork. “First, poor Mary Ellen died. And let me tell you–”
“Harold,” Molly’s mother said in a harsh voice.
He stopped, cleared his throat, and nodded, muttering, “Thank you. Anyway. Yes, what I wanted to say is, we’ve had several fires. And large fires which have resulted in fatalities, and I think perhaps seventeen more that have resulted in property damage.”
“They’re even saying the fire near the junior high school was set as well,” her mother added, without naming Molly’s school.
Her father nodded, and Molly waited to see if anything would be added.
Sitting down at the table, her mother sighed.
“This is all very troubling,” she said, and then glanced at Molly and smiled. “You’re not worried, dear, are you?”
“Why would I be?” Molly asked innocently. “Daddy will take care of us.”
She saw her father’s chest swell with pride as he nodded.
“That’s right,” he said, taking a sip of his coffee, “I won’t let anything happen to my girls.”
Her mother beamed at him, and Molly smiled, taking a bite of her eggs.
“Well, Molly,” her mother said, “what do you have planned for today?”
“I’m going to Buckingham,” Molly explained. “It’s the last weekend before school. I told them I would stay until after lunch, to help get as much done before I start doing homework again.”
“I think that sounds excellent,” her father said. “Now, did you remember that your mother and I have to attend the monthly dinner at the country club?”
Molly nodded. “Yes. Who is going to be watching me tonight?”
“I wanted to talk about that,” her father said. “You see, your mother and I have been so impressed with you this summer, especially after the loss of Mary Ellen and the way you worked so hard helping the seniors, that we thought you were old enough.”
“Old enough?” Molly asked. A fear grew in her, and she had the horrifying thought that she would need to attend the dinner with them.
“To stay at home without a babysitter,” her mother explained, smiling. “You see, you have shown us such maturity, that we just don’t believe there would be anything that would be too much for you to handle.”
“We are a little worried about this firebug,” her father said gruffly, “but we’ve asked the Davidsons to keep an eye out on you.”
“And Mr. Woodrow,” her mother added, “has taken to patrolling the alley every hour, on the hour since he suffers from insomnia most nights.”
“If you’re concerned though,” her father said, “there’s no shame in having a sitter here.”
“I’m not concerned,” Molly said, beaming at them. “I know how to call the police, or to run for the Davidsons. I will take care of the house.”
“I know you will,” her mother said, and she leaned over and gave Molly a quick kiss on the cheek.
Smiling, Molly took a bite of bacon and thought how wonderful the world truly was.
Bonus Scene Chapter 7: The Summer Ends
After nine, when Mr. Woodrow wandered down the alley way with his flashlight, whistling a song Molly didn’t recognize, she stepped out of her house. She was dressed in a pair of straight, black slacks, and her Mary Janes. For a shirt, she wore an old sweatshirt, a dull gray color. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and in one pocket there were four keys and four books of matches, while in the other there was the Zippo lighter.
She patted it through the fabric and smiled.
The sound of her footsteps was hidden by that of Mr. Woodrow’s, and Molly kept to the shadows as she moved. Soon enough she was able to turn away and pick up the pace. In less than five minutes, she reached the back of Buckingham Home. The rear door was open, the lock broken and on top of the maintenance staff’s long list of items to fix.
Molly snuck inside, and instead of going to the elevators, she took the seldom used stairs. Her heart thundered with excitement, her mouth dry with anticipation. She went up to the fourth floor as quickly as she could, and when she reached it, Molly hesitated on the landing.
Easing the door open a half an inch, Molly peered out into the hall. Several of the residents were still awake, their televisions playing loudly to make up for their owners’ deafness.
When she was certain no one was wandering about, Molly crept out onto the floor. She forced herself to walk slowly to 4E, where Mr. Belichinko lived.
Molly reached into her pocket, removed the four keys, and found the one marked 4. She eased it into the lock and opened the door. The low rumble of Mr. Belichinko’s snores reached her ears, as did the smell of his cheap cigarettes.
Molly moved further into the apartment and found the old man asleep in his chair, his weathered features hidden in shadow. His left hand hung down over the chair, his fingers only inches above the ashtray he kept on the floor. In front of the chair, by his feet clad in their worn-out slippers, she saw his newspaper.
Molly crept forward, grabbed hold of the edge, and dragged it back to the ashtray. She carefully placed several of the pages above the lip of the ashtray, and then she stood up and moved around to the other side of the chair, where a small table stood. Mr. Belichinko’s Silk Cut cigarettes were there, and she removed one. Molly broke the cigarette in half, then carried it back to the ashtray. From her pockets, she retrieved a book of matches and her Zippo.
Smiling, she opened the book of matches and tucked the cigarette behind the match heads. She folded the cover of the book back into place, which served to keep the cigarette in position. With the Zippo, she lit only the exposed end of the cigarette, and once it was smokin
g, Molly placed it near the newspaper pages. The cigarette would take less than two minutes to burn down to the matchheads, which would then ignite, and set the newspaper on fire.
And the pages would light the carpet, and the carpet, the room.
Molly had less than two minutes to go through three floors and to set three more fires.
Grinning, Molly stood and hurried out of the room.
She loved games.
***
Molly lay on her bed, freshly showered and holding her favorite stuffed bear. She could still hear sirens, more fire engines arriving at Buckingham Home. Even more, ambulances leaving. For a short time, when the wind had been blowing towards her house, Molly had even been able to smell the smoke and to hear the screams of people dying.
She smiled at the thought and closed her eyes.
And there, against her eyelids, Molly could still see the building burning, the flames crackling, and the bricks burning.
Everything burning.
Molly laughed, squeezed her teddy bear, and let the sound of ambulances sing her to sleep.
* * *
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: 18 Meade Road
Chapter 2: Inside and Safe
Chapter 3: Almost Settled
Chapter 4: Strange and Unusual
Chapter 5: Whiskey and Bad Decisions
Chapter 6: Paranoia Runs Deep
Chapter 7: Close and Closer Still
Chapter 8: Taking up the Hunt
Chapter 9: The Dinner Guest
Chapter 10: Meeting the Neighbors
Chapter 11: Reaching Out
Chapter 12: An Uncomfortable Silence
Chapter 13: Anticipation
Chapter 14: In the Shadows of the Night
Chapter 15: Good Company
Chapter 16: Searching for Answers to Unasked Questions
Chapter 17: Remembering Childhood
Chapter 18: Out of the Car
Chapter 19: Consulting for Survival
Chapter 20: In the Trees
Chapter 21: Going Shopping
Chapter 22: Amor in Extremis
Chapter 23: A Darkness Made Bright
Chapter 24: Found and Finished
Chapter 25: Homemade Goodies
Chapter 26: A Need for Help
Chapter 27: Special Delivery
Chapter 28: A Fire in Her Heart
Chapter 29: More of the Same
Chapter 30: Another Subtle Twist
Chapter 31: Recollections
Chapter 32: Shivering
Chapter 33: Coming to an Accord
Chapter 34: Sick Again
Chapter 35: Contemplation and Consideration
Chapter 36: Fixing the Lawnmower
Chapter 37: A Good Time Had by All
Chapter 38: No News is Good News
Chapter 39: Looking for a Friend
Chapter 40: Shane’s Gift
Chapter 41: A Walk in the Woods
Chapter 42: A Quick Chat
Chapter 43: Running Through the Wilderness
Chapter 44: Fox Cat Hollow, Pennsylvania
Chapter 45: A Good Day for a Climb
Chapter 46: Hunting the Fire
Chapter 47: Jonathan’s Day
> Chapter 48: Incorporeal Immolation
Chapter 49: An Unintended Workout
Chapter 50: A Chat, and Nothing More
Chapter 51: Under Doctor’s Orders
Bonus Scene Chapter 1: Pre-Teen No More
Bonus Scene Chapter 2: Something Beautiful and Clean
Bonus Scene Chapter 3: A Fair Day in May
Bonus Scene Chapter 4: Dame Petersen
Bonus Scene Chapter 5: Preliminary Events
Bonus Scene Chapter 6: The Coup de Grace
Bonus Scene Chapter 7: The Summer Ends
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